Automatic gas-analyzing apparatus.



E. H. PEABODY. AUTOMATIC GAS ANALYZING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 21, 1906. I

" Patented Dec.28,1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E. H. PEABODY. AUTOMATIC GAS ANALYZING APPARATUS.

A I APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21, 1906. 944,274. Patented De.28-, 1909.

a sHnBTs-snn'n'r 2.,

E. H. PEABODY. AUTOMATIC GAS ANALYZINGIAPPARATUS.

' APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21, 190B.

944,274. l Patented Dec. 28, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ERNEST H. PEABODY OF NEW YORK, NQ Y.

AUTOMA'IIC GAS-ANALYZING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2&15Mt9.

Application filed September 21 1906. Serial No. 335,643.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST H. PnABoDY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York,

have/invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automatic Gas-Analyzing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to an im-' proved apparatus for the analysis of gases, and more particularly to means for determining the proportion ofcarbon dioxid in furnace gases. I

In order to properly regulate the air and fuel supply in furnaces for boilers and other .devices it is important to ascertain from time toitime the chemical constitution of the furnace gases. These are ordinarily composed of three constituents, namelynitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxid, and possibly a-fourth carbon monoxid. \Vhere the air sup ly is insuflicient, monoxid and an excess of supply istoo great, oxygen will be in excess. It has been found by many tests made under varying circumstances that, in prop-- erly constructed boilers and furnaces, the percentage of carbon dioxid in the furnace gases is by itself a reliable indication as to the proper conditions of the draft. It is therefore clear that a check can be kept on the conditions of fuel supply and of air supply by employing means for rapidly in dicatingthe percentage ofcarbon dioxid alone, and the present invention has relation to a simple and reliable device whereby determinations of this kind canbc rapidly made.

In its preferred embodiment my invention includes means whereby a substantially continuous record may be automatically pro duced showing the percentage of carbon dioxid present in the furnace gases at frequent and regular intervals of time.

The various separable elements of improvement found in the complete invention are, among others, a novel means for bring- .ing the gases to the measuring apparatus and disposing of the dead gases after each operation, novel means for transferring the gases to be analyzed in measured quantities to the absorbing apparatus and a novel construction of absorbing apparatus.

,. An illustrative form of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings wherecarbon dioxid will be found, and where this Figure 1 is a front elevation of an entire automatic recording device embodying the I present invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in elevation of a portion of the absorbing apparatus, Fig. 3 is an elevation of a modified form of-recording means, Fig. 4 shows in diagram the relation of the receiving and measuring chamber to the furnace of a common type of boiler, and Fig. 5 shows in front elevation a simplified form of device coin prising a modified gas-transferring means.

My complete apparatus comprises five principal elements, namely :A measuring chamber into which the mixed gases are initially conveyed. An absorption chamber into which said gases are transferred in meas ured quantities when the apparatus is'used. Means for transferring the gas as aforesaid. A reservoir into and out of which the absorption liquid is forced from and to the absorption chamber during each operation, and means for determining the position of the absorption liquid at the end of each operation.

In the embodiment of my device which is shown in Fig. 1, the measuringchamber into which the mixed gases are initially introduced takes the form of an inverted U- shaped tube, 1, the lower ends of which are made narrow and are joined, as by branch tubes 2, to a supply pipe 3. From the top of the measuring chamber the capillary tube +t. leads to the absorption chamber.

The inlet and outlet tubes 5 and 6 extend down into the two legs of the chamber 1 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and their lower orifices are placed at such a level that, when a suitable liquid enters the chamber and rises high enough to close said orifices, the volume of gas imprisoned in the chamber will be a convenient predetermined number of units, as for instance 100 c. c.

The inlet tube 5 is preferably connected,

in the furnace, while the outlet tube 6 is connected to the outgoing flue as at 8, where the pressure is considerably lower. The precise points of connection, 7 and 8, may vary spond to locations of material difference of pressure in the path of the products of combustion. At 9 is shown a simple pressure gage, whereby an'indication of this dificrence of pressures is constantly given, so as to. provide a means of ascertaining the de-' gree of suction acting at any time to feed as at 7 in Fig. l, to a point near the tire box through wide limits, so long as they correhave shown two of these which are within the scope of the present invention. That the apparatus. A'valve 10 may be introduced to control the degree of pressure in operation.

-The term furnace as used in my claims applies to the entire heating device including the chimney itself.

The absorption chamber is shown at 11, and may be'of any appropriate construction, but I prefer the arrangement illustrated,

wherein one or more wide and shallow pans.

12 are supported within the chamber 11, so that, as the absorbing liquid flows in, the contents-of said pans are renewed and they are left brimful when the absorbing liquid is withdrawn. By this arrangement an extended absorbing surface'is afforded by the contents'of the pans, shown at 13 in Fig. 2.

The means for transferring the gas from the measuring chamber to the absorption chamber. 11 may take many forms, and I one of the means shown which is preferred for continuous automatic operation is shown in Fig. 1. Here a supply reservoir 14 is used which is kept filled with water or other suitable displacing liquid at a constant level by automatic means, such for instance, as

those indicated at 15. A. supply. pipe 16 communicates by a three-way valve 17 with the pipe 3 on one side and, on the other side, with the pipe 18,- leading to the overflow tank 19. The level here is kept constant, as

. at y y by the overflow pipe 20. The valve 1'? is automatically operated to place the pipe 3 in communication alternately with the pipes 16 and 18, in a manner familiar in the use of three-way valves. While my invention covers any convenient means adapted to this operation, I have shown for illustrative purposes a motor operating continuouslyunder the influence of a continuous stream of water. For this purpose, there is mounted 'upon the rotary member of the valve 17 a tilting receptacle 21, divided into two sections by the partition 22. This is so shaped and located that, when the valve 17 is turned as far as it will go in one-direction .one section empties itself into the basin 23.-

whence the water is led away by the .pipe 24: 111 the meantimswater flowing continuously from the pipe 25 intothe other section of the receptacle-2l, finally fills it to such a point aslto 'tilt it back and bring the valve 17 to its opposite extreme position. Thewater isagain emptied into the basin 23 and water from the pipe 25, filling the first emptied section of 21, causes repetition of the above described cycle of operation.

' The fourth principal element of my device is the reservoir for the absorption liquid.

1 may use anyliquid capable .of' efficiently absorbing carbon dioxid, and referably -a solutio'n of caustic potash. his is contain'cd in a reservoir 26 and-in the tube 27 her 11.

which is connected to the absorptipn cham- In connection with, and virtually forming a part of the reservoir, I use one or"- two gage glasses as desired. These a e shown at 28 and 29 occupying respectively the initial and. the terminal end of the total reservoir. These gage glasses. are graduated, preferably to indicattt ijercenta es of carbon dioxid in the gas analyzed, an

in the reservoir during the operation here inafter described.- Either of these gage:

glasses may be suppressed, and indeed, where the external record-mg means are employed as'herein shown, neither gage-glass is inlhe absorption"liquid has filled the-chamber 11 and now stands in said chamber andin the reservcnr at the level running into the left hand section of the nuinn-receptacle 21, preparatory to a new operation. ()wing to the difference of gas )ressures in the-two )i ies 5 and 6 the fun- 1 l l a nace gas istlowing freely in through 5 and out through 6 as ind cated by the arrows, be-

they should be calibrated with due regard to the cliit'crences oilevcl of the absorption liquid a; \Vater is ing preferably cleared otdust by an appropriatc strainer 230. The elfect of the gas circulation thus ])l'()(lll('.((l is to entirely clear out the gas lett over in the chamber 1 from the previous operation. and to fill said .chamher with new ,furnace gas. ,This state of things being produced, as soznrf-astl1e left hand section of the receptacle 2 1 is filled, the three-way valve 17 operates to cutoff the tank 19 and places tube 2 in communication with the main supply pipe 16. WVate'r from the reservoir l-t is thus admitted to the measuring chamber 1, and, as the level rises thereimit'acts first to close the lower ends of the tubes and (S and then to drive the measured volume ot' imprisoned gases over. I

into the absorption chamber 11." The. gases thus driven over displace the absorbing l quid which rises in the receiving reservoir.

The liquid in the reservoir 14 is keptcozi stantly at such' a level that, when said liq- I uid is admitted to the chamber 1, it will rise to the level x m, exactly at the'beginnin'g nor lower. point,- the opposing pressure of the absorbmg liquid," transmitted through the'gas in the absorption chamber, acts to arrest it.

,of the capillary tube 4, and neither higher When said liquid reaches this The'parts are so proportioned that, assuming the ases transferred as above described to contain no elements capable of absorption by the absorbing liquid, this latterwill stand in its reservoir with one end" at thezero mark in the glass 28 and the other end at the zero mark in the glass 29. Of course, where either of these glasses is dispensed with, the reading will be zero inthe other under the circumstances assumed; In practice, however, acertain quantity of carbon dioxid will be present in thevgases which have filled the chamber 1 and been transferred as above described, and since this is absorbed by the liquid in the pans 12, the volume of gas will be diminished. This diminution will be shown by the resulting-diflerence in the position. of the absorbingcolumn and a reading of either gage glass will serve to measure this difference: By suitable spacing of the marks upon the-gage glasses, each space he tween'marks may be made to correspond to a certain proportion borne; by the carbon dioxid teat-he total volume of gas. in the drawing l'have illustrated as an example system of calibration whereby each space between marks on the glasses corresponds to one per cent. of the carbon dioxid, and the glasses read up to twenty per-cent, which is beyond any proportion found in practice in boil. riurnaces.

. user given furnace should know percentage of carbon diozrid in the es corresponds to the best conditions of ombuetion in that. furnace, and,-if he ob es a departure therefrom one way or the h an take the proper ste s for corr: we

iii

nd compartment oil the motor reseri filled, the valve 17 is once more operated andthe conditions shown in Fig. 1 are again produced.

3, practically continuonsrecord of the conditions of combustion may be obtained by using the device illustrated in Fig. 1 or that shown in Fig. In each of these forms a float-31 is supported upon the upper surface of the displaced column-of absorbing liquid as it rises and a pen or pencil 32 is carriedon an appropriate cross head 33, moving between guides 34%.

In Fig. 1 the: end of the pen or pencil bears upon the surface of a ruled chart secured upon the periphery. of a cylinder 36 which is adapted to revolve slowly and continuously in a well known manner. By properly placing the chart 35. and appropri ately spacing the lines thereon, a seriesof zi'g-za lines will be produced, the upper angles 0? which will indicate on the chart the percentage of carbon dioxid present at each operation of the apparatus. This indicator may be used with or without one or both of the gage glasses.

so be understood that, as the adapted to operate in one position to es Another form which the indicator in question may take is shown in Fig.3. llere the float actuates a lever 37, the extremity of which carries a suitable pen or pencil 38 which bears upon a flat revolving chart l-lere the up and down movements of the float 31 produced by operation of the device are transmitted in the form of curves to the chart. As the latter revolves, a zig-zag line, is produced thereon whose interior angles in 5 dicate upon" a suitably drawn scale, the percentage of carbon (lioxid corresponding to each successive operation of the apparatus.

The means employed for continuous rotation of the charts are well known in connection with indicators in general and therefore l have not shown the same herein.

In Fig. .5 is shown a simpler modification of my broad invention, some elements of which are obviously susceptible of use with certain elements hitherto described, and illustrated in the other views. Here the absorption chamber consists of a spiral tube 40 may surround the measuring chamber l. i v "sing aspiral tube as shown, an extended surface wetted by absorbing liquid be obtained and. the vessels 12 be disised with. The displacing liquid is conta lied in a movable vessel all connected to themeasuring chamber by a flexible tube 42. 9 The absorbent liquid reservoir consists of the id-the connecting tube l4- and the lished enter the measuring chamber florrn shown in Figr'l. l lhen the l ii. is raised. as shown in full lines, gas

polling the absorbing l'i uicl into the reservoir 43 and permitting t eterniination of the V fhen the vessel 41 is lowered to the support 46, as shown. in dotted lines, a new supply of is introduced in the manner already ct Many changes-may be made in the-construction and arrangement of the parts ofllo this apparatus without departing from my limiting xnyselfto the details hereih. shown and described.

What 1 claim is ing an intake chamber, aninlet and an outlet tube for gas terminating therein, a source of displacing liquid, an overflow and a valve tablish communication between said chamher and source of liquid and in another position to establish communication between said chamber and overflow, substantially as d estiribed. 1 30 2. An apparatus for gas analysis comprising an intake chamber, means for conveying gas thereto, a source of displacing liquid, an overflow and a three-way valve adapted to connect said chamber with said source When.

in one position and with said overflow When scribed.

23. An apparatus for gas analysis comprisiu illlOllllQlFPOSlilOn, substantially as dew i'ng air intake chamb r means for conveying gas thereto a source of displacing liquid, an over-fiery, a valve adapted to connect said chamber alternately with said source and said overflowand means adiqited to auto- 5 matically operate said valve for producing said alternate connections,

substantially as described.

fl. In combination with. a combustion fun nace, an apparatus for analysis of gas com prising an intake chamber, and two gas tubes leading therefrom to two points of different pressures in the normal path of movement of the furnace gases, scribed.

5. I11 combination with a combustionv furnace, an apparatusfor analysis of gas comsubstantially as de- "chamber, means prising an intake chamber, a tube leading from said furnace at a point relatively near the fire to said intake chamber, and a second tube leading from said furnace at a point relatively near the chimney outlet, to said chamber, an absorption or transferring gas from the former to the latter chamber and an inlet and outlet for the measuring chamber communicating respectively With points of different pressures in. the normal path of movement of the furnace gases, substantially nace, a measuring as described.

7.'An apparatus for gas analysis com- ;prising an. absorbtion chamber, a reservoir intake chamber, substantially as described. 6. In combination With a combustion fun 

